Chapter 57 – May I Ask Who You Are

Chapter 57 - May I Ask Who You Are

Hu Ze ran off to chat with his teammates for a bit. A few minutes later, he joined Hu Dad and Hu Mom in their car, while Ye Le Yao and the Hu siblings shared another vehicle. The two cars, filled with family members, set off in a grand procession toward their destination: the bar.

Thinking of the team in the lounge, Hu Mom asked Hu Ze, "How have you arranged the victory banquet?"

Hu Ze cleared his throat. "I booked the venue long ago; they can head there directly. Before leaving, I even sent a big red packet in the group chat," Hu Ze picked up his phone to reply to a message, smiling as he said, "Moreover, today's gossip probably won't take too long. If the banquet hasn't ended by then, I'll join them."

With Hu Ze's arrangements in place, Hu Mom and Hu Dad no longer worried.

Half an hour later, the two cars pulled up at the entrance of the bar.

This bar was the most luxurious in the entire city, operating on a membership system with a high threshold for entry. Non-members couldn't just walk in, so the patrons were mostly scions of wealthy families, making it a popular gathering spot for the elite.

As a result, the bar had a pleasant environment and atmosphere, free from deafening music or media reporters lurking outside.

Still, Ye Le Yao and Hu Yan took precautions by donning sunglasses, hats, and masks upon exiting the car.

Hu Dad reported their membership card number, and a waiter led the family inside.

Upon entering, Ye Le Yao removed her sunglasses, her gaze sweeping across the booths in the hall.

"Meng Yue and Ran Jing seem to be at one of the booths in the main hall. I need to confirm their location..."

Hearing Ye Le Yao's words, Hu Dad turned to the waiter and said, "Forget the private room, take us to the booth instead."

The waiter nodded, leading the family toward the left front area.

Ye Le Yao's eyes suddenly lit up.

"I see Ran Jing! Next to him...it's Meng Yue!"

Ye Le Yao quickly told Hu Mom, "Hu Mom, I spotted a friend. Let's sit over there!"

The adjacent booth was conveniently empty, as if fate was on their side!

Hu Mom readily agreed, instructing the waiter, "Let's go there then."

The waiter guided the group over, and Ye Le Yao noticed that there was another man sitting opposite Meng Yue and Ran Jing, whose back looked somewhat familiar. However, she didn't pay much attention to it.

At that moment, Ran Jing happened to catch sight of her and winked at Ye Le Yao, who smiled and quickly walked over to greet him.

Qin Yao was discussing project details with Meng Yue when he suddenly heard Ye Le Yao's thoughts.

Before he could locate her exact position, a familiar figure swiftly passed by him and stopped, smiling and saying, "Ran Jing, what a coincidence to find you here!"

Turning around, Qin Yao realized not only Ye Le Yao but the entire Hu family was approaching.

His eyebrows slightly raised, he recalled Ye Le Yao mentioning Meng Yue and Ran Jing's names earlier and instantly understood.

Could it be...

that the subject of tonight's gossip was Meng Yue and Ran Jing?

But wasn't Ye Le Yao just coming to the bar? Did she really need the whole family to come along?

Ran Jing, currently playing the role of the white moonlight, had hoped Ye Le Yao wouldn't approach him when he winked at her.

To his surprise, not only did Ye Le Yao come over, but she brought the whole entourage with her.

Ran Jing had only recently upset Meng Yue due to his out-of-character behavior, and he didn't want his salary docked again.

So despite Ye Le Yao standing right in front of him, greeting him, Ran Jing didn't meet her gaze. Instead, he turned his head to silently seek Meng Yue's approval with his eyes.

Ye Le Yao didn't miss the exchange between Meng Yue and Ran Jing.

She couldn't help but marvel.

"Indeed, being a substitute isn't easy. You can't even greet friends casually, or else it ruins the character."

Ye Le Yao glanced at Meng Yue again, noticing his poor complexion. Unable to hold back her anger, she exclaimed,

"You're quite controlling, aren't you, kid!"

Qin Yao was amused by Ye Le Yao's remark, his lips curving into a slight smile without uttering a word. He wanted to see how long it would take for Ye Le Yao to notice him.

At the same time, he felt puzzled.

A substitute?

Was she referring to Ran Jing?

Qin Yao rarely visited bars. Today, he came because Meng Yue mentioned needing to discuss something here.

He hadn't expected to find another young man seated beside Meng Yue when he arrived. According to Meng Yue's introduction, the man was named Ran Jing.

Although Meng Yue hadn't explicitly stated his relationship with Ran Jing, Qin Yao had a good guess.

This revelation genuinely surprised Qin Yao.

He had heard before that Meng Yue harbored feelings for someone he couldn't let go of.

Seeing Meng Yue with Ran Jing today, Qin Yao assumed Meng Yue had moved on from his past.

But it turned out Ran Jing was merely a substitute.

Why?

Was it because he couldn't see or obtain the person he truly desired, so he resorted to this surrogate game?

Qin Yao's speculation was entirely accurate.

Meng Yue gently pressed his fingers against his temples. He truly hadn't anticipated Ye Le Yao's appearance here, nor the fact that the Huo family, trailing behind Ye Le Yao, would also be present.

It was now even more inappropriate to hold Ran Jing back. Meng Yue could only helplessly wave him off. Fortunately, he had already concluded his business with Qin Yao. He would just have to endure this awkward situation for a while longer.

Ran Jing was waiting for Meng Yue's opinion. Seeing this, he instantly broke into a radiant smile and stood up, ready to leave with Ye Le Yao in tow by her arm.

Ye Le Yao, however, didn't budge.

"We can't leave. What if you miss your chance to bump into your true love?!"

In a moment of desperation, Ye Le Yao plopped down on the seat beside him, staring directly at Ran Jing, who still held onto his arm.

Ran Jing's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Huh?"

Ye Le Yao cleared his throat. "I...you..."

"For a moment, I haven't thought of an excuse yet—"

Ye Le Yao screamed internally but maintained his composure. His gaze then shifted, suddenly finding something familiar about the person across from him.

Qin Yao set down his glass of wine, meeting Ye Le Yao's eyes with amusement.

A second later, Ye Le Yao's eyes lit up. "President Qin! What a coincidence, you're here again?"

What kind of words were these?

Qin Yao sighed. "What do you mean 'again'?"

He had merely come to discuss some work matters. How could he have known Ye Le Yao would show up to spectate?

Yet, looking at the smiling face of the young man before him, Qin Yao felt unexpectedly pleased for some reason.

Just then, the Huo family approached as well.

Seeing Qin Yao there, Huo Ma laughed first. "What a coincidence. Old Huo and I rarely come for a drink, and we didn't expect to run into you two."

As elders, Huo Ma and Huo Ba received greetings from both Qin Yao and Meng Yue as they stood up.

After a brief chat, Huo Ba simply instructed the waiter, "We'll take the booth opposite them."

Being close meant they could clearly see and hear the excitement!

The family happily settled down.

With the crisis averted, Ye Le Yao tugged on Ran Jing's sleeve. "Sit down."

If not for Meng Yue being nearby and Qin Yao right across from them, Ran Jing would have rolled his eyes in exasperation.

He had thought Ye Le Yao was here to save him, but instead, Ye Le Yao wanted him to sit!

However, Ran Jing didn't stay angry for long. After all, Ye Le Yao had no idea about his predicament.

Ran Jing couldn't explain it either, so he sat down.

On second thought, Ye Le Yao's arrival was a blessing. He had been pretending all night and was exhausted. Now, he could finally relax and be himself.

Ran Jing let out all his tension. As soon as he sat down, he pushed aside the juice in front of him, picked up the whisky and glass, poured himself a full cup, and asked Ye Le Yao, "Want some?"

Ye Le Yao's eyes widened. "I don't drink."

Ran Jing looked at him. "Why did you come to a bar if you don't drink?"

"Of course, to watch you bump into your true love!"

Ye Le Yao muttered under his breath.

Ran Jing, having held back all night, finally returned to his true self. He tipped his head back and downed half the glass in one go.

After drinking, he sighed contentedly, completely ignoring Meng Yue's frequent glances.

Ye Le Yao found it hard not to laugh:

"So this is Ran Jing's real personality?"

"It's a bit surprising..."

Lost in thought, Ye Le Yao glanced at Meng Yue beside him. This look nearly broke his composure:

"Hahahaha, my god, Meng Yue's face is so sour—"

"So he knows about Ran Jing's true personality?"

Ye Le Yao grew increasingly convinced.

"If he didn't know, Meng Yue wouldn't have sent Ran Jing to acting school."

"Meng Yue must know him too well!"

Ye Le Yao struggled to suppress his laughter, and even the corner of Qin Yao's mouth curved upward.

The Huo family at the next table kept casting curious glances their way.

They had seen Ran Jing as a well-behaved student, never expecting him to be such a heavy drinker.

That bottle of alcohol should have quite a high proof, right?

Huo Ma whispered in awe, "Indeed, appearances can be deceiving."

Huo Yan understood particularly well: "After all, it's just acting."

It was possible that the clothes Ran Jing wore and the hairstyle he had were all based on Bai Yueguang, having nothing to do with his own personality.

Huo Jing and Huo Ze nodded in agreement.

"What would you like to drink?" After Qin Yao finished laughing, he handed the menu to Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao took the menu and looked through it several times, only to find that it was indeed full of alcohol.

"Is there nothing else to eat in a bar besides sunflower seeds and alcohol?!"

Qin Yao found this amusing after hearing it: "How about I order you a juice?"

Ye Leyao put the menu aside and nodded: "Okay."

Qin Yao placed the order for Ye Leyao and then asked, "Have you eaten?"

His family had eaten before going to watch the match, but they were getting a bit hungry now.

Ye Leyao said, "But there's nothing edible on the menu, is there?"

Qin Yao replied, "I'll have my assistant go to a nearby private kitchen and bring some food over. What would you like to eat?"

Meng Yue spoke up first: "I don't need anything."

He was in a very bad mood right now.

Of course, the people present wouldn't care about Meng Yue's mood.

Ye Leyao happily ordered several dishes he wanted to eat and didn't forget to ask Ran Jing beside him, "Do you want to eat crayfish?"

Ran Jing nodded without hesitation: "Yes!"

Tonight's invitation from Meng Yue had come suddenly, and he hadn't even eaten dinner!

The assistant moved quickly, and before long, the ordered meals were delivered. Qin Yao was thorough in his arrangements and didn't forget to order a portion for the Huo family at the next table as well, filling up two tables.

Looking at the crayfish and barbecue on the table, Meng Yue's brows nearly furrowed enough to crush a fly.

But Ye Leyao and Ran Jing acted as if they didn't see it, eating with particular joy.

Ran Jing drank while he ate, not even glancing at Meng Yue once, which made Meng Yue even more unhappy.

Sitting in this position, Ye Leyao had to deliberately turn his head to see Meng Yue's expression, which wasn't very convenient.

So Ye Leyao simply stood up, walked to the side of Qin Yao, and nodded his head toward him.

Qin Yao moved one seat inward with amusement.

Ye Leyao sat down again, continuing to observe Meng Yue's expression while eating barbecue and chatting.

It had to be said that sitting opposite did allow for a closer observation.

Every time Ran Jing did something that deviated from his character, Ye Leyao could always see the wonderful expressions on Meng Yue's face in time.

When Ran Jing finished a glass of wine and picked up the bottle to pour himself a second glass, Meng Yue's face finally darkened.

Just as Meng Yue raised his hand to stop Ran Jing, Ye Leyao suddenly said:

"It's ten o'clock! Bai Yueguang should be making an appearance, right?!"

Those who could hear Ye Leyao's thoughts paused simultaneously in their actions.

Even Qin Yao couldn't help but look up, scanning the surroundings.

At this moment, there weren't many people in the bar hall; there were only a few tables.

After looking around, Qin Yao retracted his gaze.

He didn't see anyone coming in.

Huo Yan looked at Huo Ze.

Huo Ze also shook his head.

He hadn't seen anyone walking over here.

In fact, there weren't many people in the entire bar right now. Apart from their two tables, there was only one other table in front of Qin Yao's booth.

Huo Ze was even somewhat doubtful whether Ye Leyao had remembered the time incorrectly. Was it really exactly ten o'clock?

Ye Leyao wouldn't have gotten the time wrong, would he?

Looking at the next table,

Meng Yue had already stopped Ran Jing from pouring more alcohol. His face was ugly, and he was trying hard to suppress the anger in his heart, saying in a deep voice, "Enough."

Ran Jing looked at the wine and glass that had been taken away from him, somewhat speechless. But he still remembered that the person in front of him was his boss. If the boss didn't allow drinking, what could he do?

Since Ran Jing was almost done eating, he simply stood up and said to Ye Leyao, "I'm going to wash my hands. Do you want to come with me?"

Ye Leyao was currently puzzled.

He remembered very clearly. In the novel, it was written that it was at ten o'clock when Bai Yueguang met Ran Jing.

It was almost ten and one minute past...

Coincidentally, Ye Leyao also wanted to wash his hands, so he simply stood up as well.

The two of them walked towards the direction of the restroom, which happened to take them past the table in front.

As they passed by, Ye Leyao glanced to the side, and his pupils instantly widened:

"White Moonlight! You were hiding here all along!"

"I'm definitely not mistaken; it's him!"

Everyone from the Huo family / Qin Yao: "!!!"

So White Moonlight had arrived at the bar earlier, but only met his stand-in for the first time at exactly ten o'clock?

Ran Jing quickly walked past this booth.

Ye Leyao was slightly behind, so he clearly saw a man's gaze fixed on Ran Jing.

Ye Leyao couldn't contain his excitement:

"Aaaaaah, they've met! So does that mean the next step is to strike up a conversation?!"

For a moment, Ye Leyao even wanted to grab Ran Jing directly.

But then he quickly suppressed this impulse.

"No, no, I can't stop Ran Jing."

"Since White Moonlight has already noticed Ran Jing, he will surely make his move soon. I just have to wait!"

Ye Leyao quickened his pace, urging Ran Jing, "Hurry up."

Ran Jing was puzzled, "Why are we in such a rush?"

Despite his words, Ran Jing still matched Ye Leyao's faster pace.

Ye Leyao and Ran Jing went to the restroom.

As for the others present, except for Meng Yue, their thoughts also flew to the booth in front of Qin Yao.

It seemed like there were people at that booth when they came in?

Huo Yan looked at Huo Ze.

Huo Ze shook his head, "I didn't notice!"

When he came in, his attention was entirely on Ran Jing and Meng Yue. Who would pay attention to such trivial matters?

Huo Dad and Huo Mom also nodded.

Because Ye Leyao hadn't mentioned it, they hadn't noticed either, unaware of when White Moonlight and his group had arrived.

However, upon closer inspection, there seemed to be only three or four people at White Moonlight's booth?

So who exactly was White Moonlight?

Everyone was somewhat curious but restrained themselves, casting only a few glances before looking away.

Now wasn't the time to startle the snake!

After all, Ye Leyao had just said that White Moonlight would make his move. They could just wait, right?

Thus, the next few minutes became the longest minutes of the night.

Even Huo Ze felt that these few minutes were longer than the duration of his last match!

Finally, they heard Ye Leyao's voice again.

"Aaaaaah, White Moonlight is looking over here again! Indeed, he fell in love with Ran Jing at first sight!"

The Huo family all lifted their heads to look, seeing Ye Leyao and Ran Jing walking back after washing their hands.

Their gaze casually fell on the booth in front, and sure enough, they saw a man slightly turning his head.

Qin Yao's eyes landed on the man, somewhat surprised.

At this moment, Huo Jing also retracted his gaze and whispered, "I know him."

Everyone from the Huo family looked at him.

Huo Jing quietly explained, "His name is Chu Cheng. He used to be the son of the Gu family, but later his mother divorced Gu Father, and he and his mother went abroad, changing their surname to Chu. His name is now Chu Cheng."

With Huo Jing's reminder, the others also remembered.

Huo Mom spoke first, "He seems to be related to the Qin family..."

Huo Dad nodded, "Yes, the Gu family is Qin Yao's mother's family. In terms of relations, Chu Cheng should call Qin Yao his cousin."

Qin Yao hadn't expected to see Chu Cheng here.

Perhaps because his gaze lingered long enough, Chu Cheng across from him noticed and looked over.

Their eyes met, and Qin Yao was the first to flash a smile.

Chu Cheng also smiled, lowered his head to say a few words to his friend beside him, and then picked up his glass and walked over.

Just as he did, he coincidentally ran into Ye Leyao and Ran Jing passing by.

Chu Cheng's gaze naturally fell on Ran Jing.

Coincidentally, Ran Jing was completely oblivious and continued walking forward on his own.

Ye Leyao's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

"Ahh ahh ahh, with how obvious Baiyueguang's gaze is, Ran Jing still hasn't noticed!"

"But is Baiyueguang preparing to come over and strike up a conversation directly?"

Ye Leyao walked over and sat down beside Qin Yao.

Chu Cheng then approached them, wine glass in hand.

Ye Leyao's eyes widened in shock.

"Huh? Big Brother, what are you doing..."

Before Ye Leyao could continue his astonishment, he heard Qin Yao ask, "When did you return to the country?"

Chu Cheng raised his glass to clink it against Qin Yao's, smiling as he said, "Just got back. It's been a long time, Cousin."

The tension in Ye Leyao's heart slowly dissipated.

He patted his chest, unable to resist screaming in his mind:

"What a scare!"

At the neighboring table, the Huo family struggled to hold back their laughter.

Huo Ze covered his face, his shoulders shaking: "Isn't Ye Leyao a bit too narcissistic!"

Huo Yan raised an eyebrow: "I've always said he's just a little narcissist."

Mother Huo glanced at her two sons disapprovingly: "Little Yao didn't know Chu Cheng and Qin Yao were acquainted!"

One moment they thought Chu Cheng was coming to hit on Ran Jing, the next he was standing before Ye Leyao.

Who wouldn't be startled by that?

Huo Ze and Huo Yan certainly understood this logic.

But that didn't stop them from teasing Ye Leyao!

After all, these two older brothers had been ridiculed by Ye Leyao plenty of times.

Even Steven!

Looking back at Ye Leyao, he was genuinely taken aback.

He even forgot to check Meng Yue's expression at first, only looking up at Meng Yue after hearing the clinking sounds.

Chu Cheng had approached too quickly, his demeanor natural as he walked straight up to Qin Yao, smiling as he clinked glasses and embraced him.

It wasn't until Chu Cheng and Qin Yao separated that Meng Yue's gaze fell upon Chu Cheng's face.

This one look froze Meng Yue in place.

This face was too familiar, appearing in countless sleepless nights.

Meng Yue couldn't remember how long he had yearned for and hoped for this reunion.

And now, at this very moment, Chu Cheng appeared before him without any warning.

Meng Yue was so overwhelmed with emotion that he stood up abruptly, not even noticing that he had knocked over the glass in front of him.

Ran Jing didn't notice either, so the splashed wine dampened his shirt.

Ran Jing's brows furrowed immediately, but when he looked up, he too was frozen in place.

Watching their reactions, Ye Leyao slowly began to laugh.

"Hahaha, looks like Ran Jing recognized Chu Cheng too!"

"Ran Jing is a professional body double, so even if Meng Yue didn't show him photos or information about Chu Cheng, Ran Jing secretly researched Chu Cheng himself, just to act more convincingly in front of Meng Yue."

"That way, when Meng Yue is happy, Ran Jing gets a bigger paycheck."

"But Ran Jing probably never expected to see Baiyueguang in person here!"

Ran Jing's usually calm expression showed signs of cracking.

Ye Leyao sat across from them, his gaze shifting between Ran Jing and Meng Yue, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"It seems Meng Yue is the most flustered one!"

"After all, this is the Baiyueguang he has been thinking about for years. And now, when he finally returns to the country, he runs into you, kid, drinking in a bar with your body double... tsk tsk tsk—"

The sound of the glass falling onto the table was loud. Chu Cheng had been chatting with Qin Yao, but at the noise, he turned to look over.

Ye Leyao became even more excited:

"Ahh ahh ahh ahh, Baiyueguang looked over! So what will he do now!"

Then everyone clearly heard Chu Cheng ask, "Are you alright?"

Ye Leyao followed Chu Cheng's gaze, his lips curling upward uncontrollably:

"Hahaha, Chu Cheng is asking Ran Jing! He's looking at Ran Jing! No way, can't be! Chu Cheng, you didn't miss Meng Yue sitting right next to Ran Jing, did you?"

Ye Leyao's heart was pounding with excitement.

Ran Jing clearly hadn't expected Chu Cheng to ask him, slightly lowering his eyes. Glancing at the nearby Meng Yue, he wasn't sure whether he should respond.

Who would have thought that at this moment, Chu Cheng actually put down his glass and then reached into the paper box beside him to pull out a few clean tissues, which he handed to Ran Jing, "Wipe yourself off. Although it's not cold outside, the temperature in the bar is quite low. Or should I have someone take you to change your clothes?"

Ye Leyao took a slight intake of breath and then secretly glanced at Meng Yue's expression.

Sure enough, Meng Yue's face immediately darkened.

Ye Leyao couldn't hold back any longer, slightly turning her head as she struggled to suppress the corners of her mouth from lifting.

"Don't laugh, don't laugh. If I really laugh, it would be too unkind!"

"Who would have thought that during the first glance between Bai Yueguang and Meng Yue, all the attention was on the stand-in, not even sparing a glance for Meng Yue!"

Ran Jing dared not follow Chu Cheng.

Meng Yue's low-pressure aura was becoming increasingly severe, leaving him no choice but to stiffen his resolve and accept the tissue Chu Cheng offered, muttering a quiet thank you.

Chu Cheng's handsome lips curved gently. "It's nothing."

Meng Yue could no longer contain himself.

A full minute had passed since Chu Cheng appeared here, yet in that entire minute, he hadn't even looked at him once! He was only concerned about an utterly insignificant person.

Suddenly, Meng Yue felt a pang of anxiety.

Could it be?

Had Chu Cheng realized that Ran Jing was the stand-in he kept by his side?

Meng Yue opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but didn't know where to begin.

After all, it was true—Ran Jing was indeed the stand-in he kept by his side.

So was this intentional on Chu Cheng's part?

Was he angry, so he hadn't spared him a single glance...

At this thought, Meng Yue felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife.

Meng Yue clenched his fist tightly at his side. After several seconds, he took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in his heart, and spoke with difficulty, "Chu Cheng, long time no see."

Ran Jing began wiping the wine stains off his body with the tissue Chu Cheng had given him.

And Chu Cheng's gaze remained fixed on Ran Jing.

Upon hearing this voice, Chu Cheng lifted his eyes, looking at Ye Leyao first.

Ye Leyao sat next to Qin Yao, her face slightly turned toward him.

Qin Yao's gentle gaze rested on her, neither of them looking at him.

It seemed it wasn't him.

Thus, Chu Cheng shifted his gaze to the last man at the table.

Their eyes met, and the air instantly became eerily silent.

Ye Leyao secretly raised her head again, unable to stifle her scream:

"Ahhhhhh, I'm nervous for them!"

Who could say otherwise!

The entire Huo family was also excited.

Then, in the next second, everyone heard Chu Cheng ask in a puzzled tone, "Excuse me—do I know you?"

As his words fell, everyone's pupils widened abruptly.

Wait.

What did they just hear?

Had Chu Cheng not recognized Meng Yue?!

Ye Leyao couldn't hold back any longer, laughing wildly in her heart:

"Hahahahahahahaha who are you?"

"Hahahaha Meng Yue is stunned! Hahaha—"

"Who would have thought that Bai Yueguang really didn't recognize Meng Yue, I can't take it anymore..."

"So this is what they call: Brother keeps you in his heart, you kick Brother into the ditch?"

Huo Ze couldn't resist, emitting his first unkind laugh of the day: "Hahahahaha—"